The health benefits of a lifelong practice of regular physical activity are well known and documented. Most significantly, regular physical activity of moderate to vigorous intensity is known to greatly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, developing type II diabetes, hypertension, and colon cancer. Physical activity is also known to enhance mental health, foster healthy muscles, bones, and joints, and to help maintain and preserve independence in older adults.
However, the evidence regarding what helps individuals incorporate physical activity into their lives is less clear. Programs have been put in place to provide physical education classes in schools, health programs at worksites, and counseling by health care providers. Yet, obesity continues to be cited as a major health issue in industrialized countries. In the United States in particular obesity rates are among the highest in the world with some reports estimating that as much as thirty percent (30%) of all adults are obese. Thus, what is needed is a means to help individuals incorporate regular physical activity into their life.